Time Travel
by Star the Foxhound
Summary: Together, with Calvin and Hobbes, my friend Dana and I travel back in time to the time of Gettysburg and meet up with Armistead, Hancock and Pickett. This only leads to more interesting events which follow. Alternate history.
1. Part One: Chapter One

**_Time Travel_**

_This has been a story that has been in the works for some time, the works of my imagination and the imagination of some of my closest friends. It started out with us just fooling around with ourselves like we sometimes do when we aren't seriously writing, but then as time went on we started to write more and more scenes that go along with it. The result, therefore, is this story, which is probably the longest thing we've written so far other then our roleplay which is always in the works. We hope you enjoy the fragments of our imaginations._

**Part One: Chapter One**

It all started on a fateful summer morning, or just past morning as the case might be. Star leaned against a fence at Gettysburg, staring out across the open field where years earlier Pickett's Charge had taken place. The hot summer sun beat down upon her but she didn't let that bother her, shaded her eyes across the brim of the Confederate kepi she wore as she allowed herself to be lost in thought. Her brown hair was tied back behind her to keep it off her neck, and her brown eyes held a thoughtful expression on them behind her glasses. Each time she came here, she always thought about the people who had fought and died on that field, especially her favorite general from that time period, Lewis A. Armistead.

One of her friends, who they all called Dana approached her, carrying a box. At times people had been known to say that they looked alike, although Dana's brown hair was cut shorter under her kepi and her eyes behind her glasses were green instead of brown. The two of them had bound together by a love of history and writing, thanks to the internet which had allowed them to talk despite the distance between their two homes. Over time, they had come to almost consider themselves sisters.

Dana poked her friend on the arm, breaking into Star's train of thought and causing her to glance over at her. "Come on, get in!" Dana said, putting the box down on the ground before gesturing towards it.

Looking at the box with interest, Star raised an eyebrow before looking back up at her friend, a curious expression planted across her face. It was a box, what good would it possibly do for her to get into it?

"Come on," Dana said again, "We're going to Five Forks!" Just earlier, they'd been searching for the order of battle to that very same battle for research for a short story they had wanted to write. Only they had decided to take a break and walk out onto the battlefield, a place that both of them loved. What better way to find out about the battle, then to go there themselves, to the very time the battle took place?

Once again Star raised an eyebrow, not sure where Dana was going with this. "In a box…?"

Dana nodded eagerly. "This is not an ordinary box. It is, in fact, a time machine."

"A time machine?" Star stared at the box for a long moment. It wasn't that she wouldn't love a time machine. Often she dreamed about being able to go back in time, maybe even save Armistead's life so that he wouldn't be killed at Gettysburg but could instead see Hancock again and have a life after the war. She just would never have pictured a time machine to look like that. "It looks like a box."

"Yes, well." Dana shrugged. "I borrowed it from Calvin. Hopefully he won't find out before we're done with what we've come to do."

Star didn't have any idea who Calvin was, having never heard of the story of the boy and his tiger, Hobbes. But she didn't question it, decided to humor her friend and climb into the box. "I suppose I'll trust this box, time machine thing then if it has the power to take us back to the Civil War," she said.

Dana nodded. "Yup! It sure does! It can go all the way back to the Jurassic age if you-"

Just then a voice sounded from somewhere that didn't seem all that far away, after Dana had climbed into the box. "Where's my time machine?"

Star's eyes widened but she remained quiet and ducked down inside the box, curling up in a ball on the bottom. She had a feeling that the owner to the voice was Calvin. Who else would be looking for a time machine here? Dana was right beside her and Star stared at her for a moment before whispering. "Now we're done for."

Pawsteps could be heard as something sniffed around the box. "I found the time machine Calvin. How'd it get here?"

"How should I know? Let's just take it back where we got it from until we need it again." From inside of the box, Star and Dana could feel someone trying to lift it, although he couldn't get it off the ground.

It was then that a tiger peeked over the edge of the box and his eyes widened as he saw the two there, curled up next to each other. "Calvin…."

Still trying to lift the box, Calvin didn't pay any attention to him. "Not now Hobbes."

"But Calvin!" Hobbes grabbed Calvin and lifted him up to see.

As he noticed Star and Dana in the bottom, Calvin's eyes also widened. "Who are you and what are you doing with my time machine?"

"Um, hi. We can explain everything, honest," Dana stated.

Star looked up at the two, hiding her surprise at a tiger being there. It wasn't everyday you could a tiger talking and looking at you while trying to get back in time. "I go by Star and this is my friend, Dana. We're trying to get back in time to the Civil War."

"Great!" Calvin jumped into the box with them. "I'll come along and act as your navigator. Come on Hobbes!"

"You're… you're coming with us?" Star asked in surprise.

Calvin handed Star and Dana each a pair of goggles. "Of course! It's my machine. Put these on."

"I think I'll stay behind on this one," Hobbes stated.

Star studied the goggles. "Oh… okay… Do I have to wear these?"

"Yes. It's only a matter of safety." Calvin dragged Hobbes in the box and handed him goggles. "And you're coming too stripey-pants!"

With a sigh, Star continued to look at the goggles. She remembered trying to wear goggles during her science classes in high school and how she could never get them to sit right with her glasses on. "I hate wearing goggles…"

"Would you rather have the gray matter of your brain sucked out from the velocity?" Calvin asked her.

"No! Of course not!" Star said, "But how would that happen?"

Calvin shrugged. "Time travel is a risky business."

Blinking, Star put on the goggles, trying to fit them as best she could over the frames of her glasses. "I never thought of that."

"Everybody hold on!" Calvin shouted, revving up the time machine

The two girls both held onto each other and the side of the box. "Is this good Calvin?" Star asked.

Calvin glanced over at them and nodded. "Yeah, that's good."

The time machine hovered off the ground and began to move as Star glanced around them, hardly able to believe that this was even possible. If she had known something like this was possible years ago, she would have already done this and seen the time period that captured most of her interests. Hobbes, however, whimpered from where he was in the time machine. "We're all going to get killed Calvin!"

"Is there a problem?" Star asked Hobbes, glancing over at him..

"Yes," Hobbes replied, "He always drags me along on these crazy trips!"

"You're still alive now, aren't you?" Dana asked.

Calvin looked at them. "Besides, one of the Regiments had a tiger as their emblem. Maybe we'll meet them!"

"Yeah, we'll be alright," Star said, "It should be interesting."

The time machine then exited the vortex and Calvin said, "Here we are!"

Dana looked up with Star, excited. "Great! What year is it now?"

Staring in amazement around her, Star took in the great field and the troops that marched across it. She knew this field, this place that she had long ago ingrained in her memory and knew that they had not traveled to Five Forks like Dana had said they would when she first brought the time machine over. She pointed towards a fence in the middle of the field, feeling her excitement only growing. This was better then going to Five Forks, because she would know that person anywhere. "Look! There's Lo!"

"We're actually here!" Dana hugged Calvin in her excitement.

Calvin wasn't impressed. "Get offa me!"

Either not hearing, or not paying any attention to Calvin's requested to Dana, Star tackled Calvin in her excitement. Without his time machine, she never could have been there, on the very field that Armistead was on, while he was still alive.

"Sorry, but thanks!" Dana stated happily.

"Hobbes!" Calvin called, hoping the tiger would get the two off of him.

Star nodded in excitement, not letting go of Calvin. "You brought us to this place! How can I ever thank you enough?"

Hobbes was busy staring at them. "I'm the one who's supposed to pounce on Calvin…"

"Alright." Star shrugged and looked out across the field as she let go of Calvin and stood up.. "If you'll excuse me, there's someone I'd like to see."

Leaping from the time machine, she could hear the cannons going off, landing among the Confederates as they attempted to cross the field and take the heights in the middle. Star already knew that the attack would not work, and that the men who returned would be the lucky ones, for Pickett's division would never completely recover from the loss of so many men. She also knew that if she didn't do something, she wouldn't have a chance to talk to Armistead after coming all this way. As history had it, he would be shot down just inside the stone wall and die two days later.

At the sound of the cannons, Hobbes yelped and ducked down in the time machine, quivering. He didn't bother to care where Star was going, was too terrified of the place they'd landed in.

"Star! Where are you going?" Dana yelled over the noise as she stood up to better see what her friend was doing.

Star yelled over her shoulder as she ran. "To save Lo!"

"I should have guessed," Dana said, watching her at the same time that Calvin and Hobbes both asked. "Who's Lo?"

No one answered their question as Star charged across the field towards the Confederate general and leaped on him without giving him a moments notice, bowling him over onto the ground and landing on top of him, out of breath. "Who are you?" Armistead asked, his eyes wide as he stared at her.

"STAR!" Dana shouted from where she stood with the time machine. "We need to get somewhere safe!"

She shook her head, not getting off of Armistead. If she left, then running out onto the field among all the cannon fire wouldn't have done any good. She couldn't leave Armistead, only to watch him go and get shot. "Lo's here! I'm not going anywhere!"

Armistead didn't bother to ask how she knew his name, although he was getting annoyed by the fact that she was keeping him from leading the men and from doing his duty as a general and as a soldier. "I'm trying to fight a battle. Would you mind getting off of me?"

Back at the time machine, Hobbes shouted towards her. "I'm with Dana! Somewhere safe, like the twenty-first century again!"

"I'll fight!" Calvin said as he grabbed an abandoned sword, probably dropped by an unlucky Confederate officer who would not make it to the stone wall, who might not even be alive anymore.

Again Star shouted across the field. "It's fine here, this is only Pickett's Charge!"

Dana's eyes widened. While she knew the field, the people, she hadn't thought of it that way, had been too excited by arriving during the Civil War to take in the details that clearly proved which battle it was. "Pickett's Charge?"

"Yup," Star nodded, "Don't you recognize the field?"

Dana looked around. It was clearly the field they had just left, except for the fact of course, that it was another century, during one of the most important battles of the war. "So it is."

Armistead looked across the field at the others, then at Star on top of him. There wasn't time to deal with this right now. "I don't know who any of you are, so if you don't mind, I'd prefer if you'd get off of me and let me lead my men."

Star shook her head. "I'm sorry, Lo, but I'm going to have to insist. You're staying at the fence. It's for your own good, please believe me."

Calvin ran by then, waving sword and Dana chased after him as he ran out onto the field. "Get back here!"

Armistead glanced from his men to Star. "Don't you understand that this is my duty? You can't stop me."

"If you're going," Star said, meeting his eyes, "Then I am going with you, sir."

She stood up as Armistead did the same and watched in wonder as he picked up his hat and stuck it through his sword. All the times she's read about it, or watched it in the movie Gettysburg could not compare to that moment, to actually seeing Armistead in person, the sword in his hand as he shouted the lines she knew by heart. "With me! Who will come with me?"

"I'll come, sir!" Calvin started to follow Armistead as he set off across the field, Star close behind him and the Confederate soldiers under Armistead's command who were still alive following them, following the hat that served as a guide to where their leader was.

"Wait, Calvin," Dana shouted after him, still chasing the boy as Hobbes runs past, trying to get to Calvin. He roared and tackled Calvin.

"AUGH!" Calvin protested, "Get off me, you monstrous malevolent moron!"

Dana got down beside them, trying to separate the two of them, the soldiers only glancing in surprise at them before moving around them. "You guys! Can't this wait till after the battle?"

Armistead reached the wall, and Star climbed up beside him as he once again shouted words that she could have quoted with him.

"Turn the cannons on them, turn the cannons!"

Star watched the soldiers as the Confederates surged towards the wall before following them onto it, and then onto the other side. Nothing could ever compare to see all of this. Through all the horror, the dead soldiers, she could hardly believe that any of this could actually be happening. Could it all just be a dream, and she would wake up only to find out that she wasn't beside Armistead, and have to just live without believing time travel to be possible.

But Armistead was moving to go over the wall, and without really thinking about what she was doing, Star lunged forward and grabbed him, sending them both tumbling off the stone wall and onto the side away from the Union soldiers. She didn't want to get Armistead upset with her, but she couldn't just watch and watch him get shot. "I'm not letting you go over that."

"Why?" Lo stared at her as Calvin and Hobbes stopped wrestling and watched in amazement.

"Woohoo!" Calvin shouted, waving his sword, "Show 'em the cold steel."

Watching the battle, Dana said, "Um, with all due respect, I think it'd be wise to order a tactical retreat, don't you think?"

"I won't argue with you there," Hobbes said, running back to the time machine, still holding a protesting Calvin.

"HEY!" Dana shouted after them, "What about us?"

Star glanced up from where she was with Armistead, her eyes wide as she watched them run. "What's going on?" She shouted to make herself heard over the sounds of the battle as gray and blue forces met just on the other side of the stone wall.

"Hobbes and Calvin are deserting us!" Dana said, chasing after them.

Her eyes widening, Star grabbed Armistead and chased after them. While she loved the time period, she wasn't about to let herself be left behind. There were certain pleasures she enjoyed about their time period, and she was happy enough to have just made it to 1863 for a visit, even if she would have loved it to be longer.

Armistead seemed to be in too much shock to say anything but Star looked over at him, understanding how much must be feeling. If only she had time to explain everything. "You'll be thanking me later," She gasped as she ran, falling into step with Dana.

"Sorry General, sir! It's not my fault," Dana said, using the rank that they used for fun, as she continued chasing Hobbes and Calvin who reached the time machine and were already inside, preparing to leave.

"Wait for us!" Dana shouted, jumping in after them.

Star jumped in directly following Dana and pulled Armistead in after her, the general seeming to still be too shocked to say anything. "Put on the goggles," Calvin said.

Armistead turned his full attention to Star. "You can't take me from the battlefield like this, it is my duty to be out there, not here."

He pointed toward the field as Calvin revved up the machine and Star shoved goggles on Armistead's face, putting her pair back on. "There isn't time for that now, Lo."

The time machine lifted off from the ground as Star watched Armistead but as soon as it entered the vortex, Armistead disappeared. Dana's eyes widened in surprise. "He had to go back to his proper time, I guess…" Calvin stated.

"NO!" Star protested the second Armistead vanished as moved to the edge of the box and looked down before making a quick decision and leaping out of the time machine to find him without a seconds notice.

"STAR!" Dana shouted, trying to call her friend back as she disappeared and then turning towards Calvin. "Turn this thing around."

Calvin looked at her for a moment. "I can't."

Glancing at Calvin, then back in the direction Star disappeared in, Dana made up her own decision as she leaped out after Star. "I'm coming General!"


	2. Part One: Chapter Two

**_Time Travel_**

**Part One: Chapter Two**

The spot were Star landed was not hard, although there was a grunt as soon as she hit. For a moment, she kept her eyes tightly closed but then the sounds of cannons reached her ears and her eyes shot open. She was at Gettysburg again, during the final stage of the battle, Pickett's Charge, and the person who she had landed upon was Lo Armistead. A smile crossed Star's face, until, someone else landed on top of her.

"OOF!" Dana landed hard on top of her leader and the smile was quickly erased from Star's face as the breath was knocked out of her. "Hey!" she protested in her surprise as she realized who it was.

Dana sat up slightly on Star and looked at her. "Well, we've got no way of getting home now."

Twisting around slightly to knock Dana off of her, Star pointed at Armistead, who she was still on top of. "But we've got Lo."

"Might as well help where we can, huh?" Dana said, looking out across the field were the Confederates were charging.

"Yup," Star nodded, "I'm going to make sure that I save Lo."

Armistead raised one eyebrow when she said that. "Wha…?"

All of this he was finding difficult to believe and he still didn't have any idea who either of them were. Plus, they were clearly girls, wearing kepis and uniform jackets. It just didn't make sense.

Dana looked at Armistead and also raised an eyebrow. "As long as you don't kill him with your fangirlness."

She stood up and brushed herself off. "Well."

Star shrugged and rolled off of Armistead before sitting cross-legged on the ground, still watching him.

"Now what?" Dana asked.

The other shrugged, not really sure what they'd do next and Dana reached into her pocket and pulled out a portal opener.

"What's that for?" Star asked, looking at it, curiously. It was a device new to her, and she could from the corner of her eyes that Armistead was also looking at it with a curious expression on his face.

"For getting us home" Dana said, "…I think."

Star's face brightened slightly. If Dana was right, then it didn't matter that Calvin and Hobbes had continued home without them. "Can we take Lo with us?"

"Eh…" Dana didn't really know what to say to her friend about that.

"Please?" Star said, watching her. She had just met Armistead, and wanted the chance to get to know him better. Plus, for all she knew, if she left him, who knew what would happen.

As Dana opened the portal, Armistead raised both eyebrows. "Isn't anyone going to ask me what I want?"

"You're coming," Star said without a moment's hesitation.

Dana still wasn't convinced. "Star, have you ever heard of the butterfly effect?"

She shook her head. "Nope."

"A butterfly beating its wing in China causes a tornado in America. Small things have great effects in time."

"Bringing Lo back with us won't change a thing," Star said confidently.

Dana sighed. "You don't know that. What of his descendants?"

"But it's Gettysburg." Star gestured to the battle, "His children were already born."

"Yes, but what about the ones still living today? Our time that is," Dana said.

Star shrugged. "Maybe they won't recognize him. They won't be expecting him to show up."

"That's a pretty big maybe," Dana pointed out.

"We'll just say he's a reenactor," Star said brightly.

"Ah…" Dana nodded. "I see what you're getting at."

Also nodding, a smile crossed Star's face. "Yup."

"Well, what about Win?" Dana asked. Lo Armistead and Winfield Scott Hancock were very close friends, fighting on different sides of the Civil War. It didn't seem right to take Armistead from the time and leave Hancock behind.

Star glanced across the field. "Let's go find him!"

Armistead looked at both of them, worried about what they were planning. He didn't like hearing his close friend's, his brother's name coming up. "Don't drag Win into this…"

Dana wasn't sure of what to say but Star solved that problem for her. "Let's go get him… Do you think you can find him, Dana?"

Turning to look, Dana nodded and pointed to a flag of the II Corps and Hancock on horseback. "Yes, I see him!"

"Alright, good," Star said, "Go quick and get him here, I don't care how you do it as long as he gets over here unharmed."

"Yes, mon General!" Dana saluted and ran off in the direction of Hancock.

Star returned the salute and watched her from her position next to Armistead.

Dana ran up to the side of General Hancock's horse. "General! Sir!" She saluted him. "Sir, I think there's someone here you should speak with!"

Hancock looked at Dana. "Someone I should speak with? May I ask who?"

"Lo Armistead sir!" Dana replied.

A look of surprise crossed Hancock's face but he hid it quickly. He hadn't seen his friend since before the war. "Alright, I'll come with you. Where is he? Is he alright?"

"Over here, sir! Follow me!" Dana said, turning again and running back to where Star was still sitting with Armistead. Hancock followed her on horseback. "Here they are sir!"

"Who's that…?" Hancock was staring at Star, trying to figure out what she was doing there.

Dana followed his gaze. "This is my commander, General Star, sir!"

Star looked up at Hancock and saluted. "Hello General, it's nice to meet you."

"Why are you almost on top of Lo…?" Hancock asked, seeing how the two of them seemed to be sitting right near each other, Star not wanting to let Armistead away from her or out of her sight.

"Because she's a fangirl of his, sir. It's kind of hard to explain." Dana said.

Hancock raised one eyebrow. "A fangirl…?"

Armistead didn't really care so much about the conversation, was more interested in the person who was now before him, still sitting up on his horse. However, Hancock moved to dismount then, and he stepped towards Armistead who stood up to greet him, their eyes locking. "Lo…"

"Win…" Armistead's voice was soft, hardly able to believe it.

Standing beside Star, Dana smiled. "And now's the cue for them to hug and cry."

A smile also crossed Star's face as she looked at Dana and nodded in agreement, before turning her attention back to the two almost brothers. Hancock had grabbed Armistead's shoulders and was still staring at him. "It's been three years…"

"I know… three long years…" Armistead said.

Dana blinked hard and sniffled slightly as she watched them and then Hancock and Armistead each hugged each other.

It was this that made Dana bury her head in Star's shoulder, bawling. "I don't think they ever realize we are watching them," Star said softly, patting Dana on the back.

"I'm just so happy for them," Dana said, sniffing again.

Star glanced at Hancock and Armistead who were still holding each other. "Yes, I am too. We can't let them go back to fighting each other. We've got to bring them back with us."

"I agree with you this time! Let's go!" Dana said, nodding resolutely.

"Yes, lets." Star paused for a moment. "But how do we get back. I don't know how to use that portal thing you've got."

Dana reached into her pocket again and searched for it. "Uh-oh… It's gone!"

"You can't have lost it!" Star looked over at Armistead and Hancock, then back to Dana. "They'll going to realize there's a battle going on soon and we've got to get home. You don't suppose Calvin and Hobbes will come back do you?"

"I don't know…" Dana hung her head. "I'm sorry, Star. This is all my fault."

She was silent for a moment. "Well… we could make our home here…"

Dana looked up. "How do we do that?"

Star looked out across the field. "We make ourselves useful and get ourselves a position in the army."

"I suppose that makes sense." Dana followed Star's gaze. "And if it's our only choice, why not?"

"Yup, and maybe Calvin and Hobbes will decide to come back for us one day. But for now, we'll make ourselves at home here." Star shrugged, even though she realized she would miss the comforts of the 21st century. "We've always pretended we were Civil War soldiers before. Here's our chance to be the real deal."

A grin crossed Dana's face. "That sounds good to me. Let's do it!"

"Yup." Star also grinned, then looked at Armistead and Hancock. "What do we do about them now that we've hooked them up again?"

Dana also looked at the two of them, before looking at Star again. "…I'm not sure. The war's not over yet."

"Yes… this could be a problem," Star said, "I thought we'd just take them back with us and everything would be alright but now…"

Nodding and frowning slightly, Dana continued to look at Star. "Well, we'll just have to figure this out as we go along, I guess. There doesn't seem to be much more of a choice."

"No, there isn't a choice, no choice at all." Star watched Armistead and Hancock.

"I missed you Win, you know that. I never wanted any of this, never wanted to have to fight against you…" Lo was telling his friend.

"I know Lo…" Hancock told him then, "It's not between us… it never will be."

Dana wiped her eyes as Star turned her attention back to her. "I always think about how they are the prefect friends. It's… it's amazing to see them here now."

"I know…" Dana nodded and sniffed again, then grinned. "Ain't it marvelous?"

Star smiled. "Yes, it is, it is indeed. It's the most marvelous thing I've ever seen and I won't ever forget it."

Again, Dana nodded and looked around the field. "Well… What do we do now?"

"Let's leave Lo and Win in peace for now. They deserve it. And look, Pickett's Charge is over anyway." Star pointed to the retreating troops and grinned suddenly. She had known earlier that she'd wanted to save Armistead, but now that the battle was over it appeared it had worked out wonderfully. "Hey! Lo and Win didn't…"

Dana's eyes widened as she realized what Star was saying. "You're right! They're okay!"

"We kept them safe!"

"We did it!" Dana said exuberantly.

"This is wonderful, they are both well and healthy and they wouldn't be if we didn't come back here to save them." Star was still grinning. "Let's go to tell George that we saved one of his Generals!"

"That's a good idea! I just hope we don't get mistaken for the wrong troops and fired at!" Dana looked around for a white cloth to use.

"Yup." Star started walking towards where she knew George Pickett would be and Dana followed close behind. It didn't take all that long to get over there and Star approached Pickett. "General sir?"

Pickett looked towards Star and frowned slightly. "Who are you, may I ask?"

"My name is Star sir," she replied, nodding towards Dana, "This is my friend Dana."

Pickett nodded. "What message do you bring?"

"I wanted to tell you that I saved Lo's life sir!"

"Lo?" Pickett blinked. "He's alright."

Star nodded. "Not a scratch on him."

Also nodding vigorously in agreement, Dana looked at him. "He's over near the Union lines sir, with Win!"

Pickett glanced from Star to Dana and back again, unsure of how to respond. Dana just grinned but Star spoke up. "It's true General, we saved his life and then hooked him up with Win. We figured that they should talk. After all, it's been three years."

A slight smile crossed Pickett's face and he nodded. "That is true. Three years is quite a long time." He raised an eyebrow. "Especially when trying to get through West Point."

Dana started laughing and Star grinned as she struggled not to laugh. "Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about."

"Indeed." Pickett looked back out across the field and his smile faded.

Star lowered her head. "I'm sorry about what happened General Pickett. I've read…" She quickly stopped herself before she said anything that would make it sound like she was from a different time, which of course, she was.

Leaning towards Star, Dana whispered. "We might have saved Lo and Win, but there are a lot of others out there… who weren't so lucky."

Pickett didn't pay any attention to Dana, was looking at Star curiously. "You've read what?"

"Oh, nothing important General." Star looked up at him quickly.

Pickett just nodded slowly and turned away to go into the tree line. Dana was just prepared to let him go as she watched. "I feel kinda bad now."

But Star didn't pay any attention to what she said, yelled after Pickett instead. "Wait! George! Come with us for a moment and see Win again! You were close to him too!"

Turning around, Pickett raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting what I think you are? That I visit Win across the battle lines that we just fought upon?"

"Please, sir. Just this once," Dana said, agreeing with her friend.

"You don't know if you will ever get another chance," Star said, "Why should you turn up this one?"

Pickett looked at Star for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. I suppose it's only proper."

Dana smiled slightly as Star nodded in agreement. "You won't be along General, Lo's already there." She placed a hand on Pickett's shoulder and turned to lead the way back to where Armistead and Hancock were.

"Star…?" Dana said, "It's a mile to go. Wouldn't horse be faster, you think?"

Turning around, Star shrugged. "Yes, but I don't have a horse."

"Now you do." Dana pointed to horses standing a few feet away. "We're only borrowing them for a little while, anyways."

"Alright, that makes sense I guess." Star mounted the horse.

Both Dana and Pickett mounted up as well and Dana said. "Let's go." She clucked to the horse and the horse began trotting forwards. Pickett followed and Star rode alongside Dana towards the Union lines.

As the II Corps flags came into view, Dana slowed her horse. "Well, here we are again."

"Indeed, and there is Lo and Win, right were we left them." Star gestured to where the two of them were talking.

All three of them dismounted and Armistead glanced up from where he was talking. "George!"

Pickett grinned, and nodded towards him and Hancock.. "Well met, Lo. It appears you've found a friend as well."

"Yes, I've been reunited with an old friend," Armistead said, smiling.

Star and Dana looked at each other and grinned.


	3. Part One: Chapter Three

**_Time Travel_**

**Part One: Chapter Three**

The time machine exited the vortex, Calvin and Hobbes inside of it. Hobbes turned towards Calvin as soon as they were out. "Calvin! Why on earth didn't you stop to find them?"

"Hobbes, it was too dangerous! The realm of time travel is dangerous! We could have ended up in a black hole if we turned around like that!" Calvin answered.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Hobbes looked at him. "I still think we should look for them."

"They stole our time machine! Let them stay lost in whatever time they went back to!"

"We have the time machine right here. We have to rescue them!"

Calvin just shook his head stubbornly so Hobbes pounced on Calvin. "Ow! Leggo, you bloodthirsty carnivore!" He protested, "Quit biting!"

Not that far away, Nurf stood in front of the PA monument, looking around for her two friends. Like her other two friends she had brown hair, which was cut short, going just past her ears. However, she had now discovered that she had no idea where either of them had gone. "I thought they were right behind me…" She said, glancing towards the High Water Mark, "Maybe they went that way…"

She started towards the High Water Mark, looking around as she went. "This is probably the thousandth time I've walked this stretch of ground… Where are they?" She said, speaking mostly to herself.

As she reached the spot, she say Calvin and Hobbes still fighting and cleared her throat. "Excuse me… excu-… Hey!"

Calvin and Hobbes both froze and looked up. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" Calvin demanded.

"I'm Nurf," She replied, "I'm looking for two of my friends. Star and Dana? You see two other girls around lately?"

Hobbes looked at her. "Star and Dana? Um, yeah, we saw them not too long ago."

He poked Calvin to which the boy protested. "Ow! What?"

"Where'd they go?" Nurf asked, "I thought we were all together but they disappeared."

"Oh, yeah, they disappeared all right," Calvin said, "Back to eighteen hundred something-or-other. They fell out of the time machine on the way back."

"Actually, they jumped out," Hobbes pointed out.

"They what?" Nurf looked around in surprise. "They're in the 1800's?"

Hobbes nodded and glared at Calvin. "Because HE wouldn't turn around to go find them!"

"We've been over this a million jillion times already!" Calvin said, "I couldn't turn around!"

"Well, you could have done something to help!" Hobbes replied.

Nurf crossed her arms. "Let me get this straight… my friends are in the 1800's… I am not… is there possibly ANY way that you can get us there?"

Hobbes put out a hand to stop Calvin from saying anything. "Actually, yes." He pointed to the time machine. "We have a time machine right here. The same one your friends fell out of."

"Jumped out of," Calvin said crossly.

"Could you take me?" Nurf asked, looking at the time machine.

As Hobbes started to nod, but Calvin interrupted. "Hold it, Mr. Stripey-pants! I thought you never wanted to get in that thing in the first place!"

"This is different!" Hobbes said, "This is a rescue mission!"

Calvin threw his hands into the air. "Who cares! We've had enough unauthorized passengers in that thing for one day and I am not going to-"

He didn't get out his last works as Hobbes pounced on Calvin again to make him be quiet, resulting in more insults being hurled.

Nurf rolled her eyes. "Hey! My friends are in the 1860's without me! As an officer of The Civil War RPG I order you to take me to them!"

Hobbes climbed off of Calvin, who spat out grass and dirt, to salute Nurf. "It will be my pleasure ma'am!"

"Hey!" Calvin protested, "You're not going without me! It's MY machine!"

"Calvin we don't have time for this, let's go," Hobbes said rolling his eyes and handed vortex goggles to Nurf. "Put these on and get in."

"Ummmm alright…" Nurf raised an eyebrow and jumped into the machine.

As they climbed in, Hobbes and Calvin put on goggles of their own and Calvin revved up the machine. "Hold on tight!"

For once Hobbes sat up straight, his face determined as the time machine took off into the vortex. "You sure this is safe?" Nurf asked.

Calvin nodded. "We've done this I don't know how many times before. We haven't crashed yet."

"So," Hobbes looked at Nurf, "Who exactly was that Lo guy they were clinging on earlier. He disappeared."

"They-? Lo?" Nurf gave him a blank stare as she raised one eyebrow. "He disappeared?"

Calvin shrugged. "Time travel is risky, I tell you. We're almost there now though." He pointed to a field as they exited the vortex. "See?"

Soldiers were lying dead on the field, others seriously injured, a few stragglers remaining as they crossed the field, Pickett's Charge just having ended. Nurf turned to face it, stared out across the field. "Wow…. I've imagine it but…"

Hobbes eyes were wide and although Calvin frowned, he was otherwise unfazed as he jumped out of the machine. "Well, come on! Let's go!"

They had landed right were they had left on the field years earlier, from their time, the High Water Mark. Nurf stepped out of the time machine and stared out at the field in a daze. "Pictures don't do this justice…"

Silent for a moment, Hobbes stared around the field in astonishment. "This makes me proud not to be a human, actually…"

"Can't argue with ya there, Hobbes," Calvin replied.

Nurf continued to look around, starting to feel incredibly awkward. "Did you see where they had gone?"

"They fell out of the vortex," Hobbes said, "They should be around here but I'm not sure where."

"Maybe we can ask the officer guys." Calvin pointed to where Hancock, Armistead and Pickett were standing not overly far away. "They look important enough."

Looking in the direction Calvin was pointing, Nurf raised an eyebrow. "That's… they're…" She remembered the uniform that she was wearing, her Union Bucktail uniform. "This is wonderful…"

"How so?" Hobbes asked curiously.

Nurf gestured to the group. "Right there stand some truly amazing people… I can't just walk over, especially in this…" She looked at the uniform. "It's just a little awkward."

Calvin rolled his eyes. "Whaddaya mean, if ya wanna find your friends, we should ask! Come on!"

He started walking over towards and officers as Nurf sighed. "For me anyway…"

Hobbes shrugged and followed Calvin. Nurf put her face into her palm for a moment, following them. "Not how I had pictured this… ever…"

Not paying attention to how Nurf felt about the situation, Calvin walked up to Armistead, Hancock and Pickett. "Hey! You three guys with the stars on your shirts!"

"Calvin!" Nurf raised an eyebrow at the way he went up to the generals.

Turning to Nurf, Calvin asked. "What? What did I do?"

"That's not- you don't… nevermind…" She glanced up at the officers, incredibly nervous. "My apologies sirs…"

"Don't worry about him, he meant no harm," Armistead said, looking from one to another.

Pickett raised an eyebrow. "If you say so, Lo." He turned his attention to Nurf then. "How can we help you, miss?"

"I'm looking for some friends of mine," Nurf said, straightening her jacket. "About my age, two girls?"

"Could one of them possibly be the girl who grabbed me in the middle of the battle?" Armistead asked.

Nurf smiled at him. "Possibly, sir yes, I imagine that would be Star…"

"There was another girl with her," Armistead said, deciding that a description would be helpful. "They both looked to be around the same age, had dark hair and glasses. Both wearing a Confederate uniform."

"That would be them!" Nurf smiled.

Armistead pointed to the trees. "They were back there doing I don't know what. The three of us were just talking over here. I think they wanted to give us a little peace."


	4. Part One: Chapter Four

**_Time Travel_**

**Part One: Chapter Four**

Standing off to the side in silence, so that Armistead, Hancock and Pickett could talk, Dana heard Nurf's voice and poked Star. She had already heard it and was looking in that direction. "What's General Nurf doing here?"

Hobbes, having wandered away from the group, started to sniff the air. "I think they're around here somewhere. Very close…"

He continued sniffing near the ground, right by Dana and Star's feet. "They're close… very, very close."

"Well hello there Hobbes," Star said, seeing him, "You came back."

Jumping about five feet in the air before realizing who it was, Hobbes looked at them. "Star! Dana! It's you!"

"Yup, it's us. Now… What took you so long?" Dana said at the same time that Star said, "Yes, it's me Hobbes. Are you surprised we didn't vanish into thin air after chasing Lo out of the time machine?"

It was then that Nurf, after saying her goodbyes to the generals, walked over to Star and Dana. Star smiled and looked at her. "I didn't expect to run into you here."

"Hi, Nurf!" Dana gave her friend a hug and Star quickly joined in.

"Thought I'd let you have all the fun eh?" Nurf replied.

Looking around, Hobbes remarked, "Hang on, where's Calvin."

"I don't know…" Star replied, "Do you expect me to keep track of everyone here?"

Also looking around like Hobbes was, Nurf said, "I thought he was just here…"

At that very moment, Calvin ran by, attempting the rebel yell and wearing a stolen confederate uniform. Hobbes eyebrows shot up when he saw that while Nurf also raised an eyebrow. "Umm… alright…"

"Problem solved," Star said simply, "Calvin is found."

Hobbes tackled Calvin then held him upside down by the ankle. "I suggest we get going now, before more trouble is caused."

Star's eyes widened then. While she had willingly gotten into the time machine when it seemed like she had no choice, she decided she wanted to take advantage of the situation. "Get… going…? But I haven't found Lawrence yet!"

At the same time, Nurf said, "But… but I just got here… And we haven't seen Tom yet either."

"I don't want to go either…" Dana said.

"Yes, we've got to find more people," Star replied.

"I'm not leavin' yet," Nurf said with a shake of her head.

Star grinned and nodded. "Let's go look for Lawrence now!"

"Let's go then," Nurf agreed, "We have people to meet!"

"Do you know who Joshua Chamberlain is?" Star asked, turning to look at Calvin.

Calvin looked up at the sound of his name. "Never heard of the guy. He do something important?"

Star's mouth feel open. "Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is the hero of Little Round Top, the fighting professor from Bowdoin Collage, the father of two kids, the brother of Thomas Chamberlain and the best soldier to ever wear blue! And now that that's taken care of, let's go!"

"I agree." Hobbes nodded. "Maybe I can collect some signatures for my scrapbook."

"What scrapbook?" Calvin asked, "You don't have a scrapbook!"

"He could get a scrapbook," Star pointed out.

Hobbes looked uncomfortable. "It was a mere figure of speech!"

While Calvin rolled his eyes, Dana remarked, "Somehow I think you and George would get along well, Hobbes."

"C'mon!" Nurf was getting impatient with them and she turned and started walking in the direction of the 20th's position.

"Yes, they would." Star agreed with Dana before followed her friend. "I'm with you Nurf!"

Running ahead Calvin shouted, "CHARGE!" But he turned and looked back for a moment. "Or not…"

"Calvin, the battle's over," Star pointed out.

"Darn!" Calvin said.

"Maybe the next time eh?" Nurf asked.

Star smiled. "You should have come a day sooner, then you could have charged with Chamberlain."

"I think I'm gonna like this Chambersburg guy, whoever he is," Calvin said, grinning, "Let's go!"

Star quickly corrected him. "It's not Chambersburg! It's Chamberlain!"

Nurf gave him a better explanation. "Chambersburg is a place… his name is Chamberlain…"

"Fine, whatever." Calvin shrugged, "Let's find Mr. Chambermaid."

"CHAMBERLAIN!" Star corrected him again.

"It's alright Star." Nurf smirked and noticed men with the 20 on their kepis.

Star also noticed the kepis and started running, grabbing a random soldier by the shoulders. "Where's Colonel Chamberlain?"

All at the same time, Dana's, Calvin's and Hobbes' raised their eyebrows in surprise. "She's lost it I fear…" Dana remarked.

"She's going to scare the whole regiment…" Nurf said.

The soldier that Star grabbed quivered slightly, staring at her. "Where is he?" Star demanded, staring directly back at him.

Taking Star by the shoulder, Nurf said, "Let's just look and not let everyone think we're crazy…"

"But his men might know," Star said, watching the soldier hurrying away from her.

"They might know but… there are other ways." Nurf smirked and walked up to another soldier who just stepped out of their tent. "Excuse me? Could you tell me where the Colonel may be found?"

"I saw him earlier, that way." The soldier said, pointing in the correct direction. "He was with his brother."

"Tom!" Dana said brightly.

Nurf nodded to the soldier and smiled. "Thank you. Let's go."

Calvin cheered. "Alright!"

As soon as the soldier pointed, Star ran off and saw Chamberlain, halting just in front of him before throwing her arms around him in greeting.

Running up as well, Calvin greeted him. "Hi, Colonel Chamberspike!"

Tom, who had been standing next to his brother, raised an eyebrow. "You have uh… something on you… Lawrence…"

Dana groaned as Star tightly hugged Chamberlain and moved to try and pry her friend from the Union Colonel. "Star!" Nurf said, "What if he can't breath!"

"He'd tell me," Star said, a calm certainty to her voice as she looked at Chamberlain. "Won't you Lawrence?"

"Don't call him Lawrence!" Calvin said quickly.

Nurf put her face to her palm as Star continued to cling to him. "I've always called him Lawrence, at least for a very long time I have."

"No really go ahead, call him Lawrence…" Tom said.

Dana, still trying to get Star off of Chamberlain, started to tickle her to make her let go and Star twisted around to swat at Dana. "Hey! Stop that!"

Jumping away, Dana grinned. "Yay, it worked!"

Star glared at her friend as Chamberlain stepped back and looked at her curiously. "If you do that again…" She said.

Eyes widening, Dana ducked behind Hobbes and Nurf spoke in a teasing voice. "What? Ban use from the forum?"

"I'd never do that!" Star protested.

"Oh, good," Dana said, peeking out from behind Hobbes.

Nurf laughed. "Thought not."

"No, what I'd do is…" Star pounced on Dana.

Yelping in surprised, Dana fell backwards, Star on top of her. "Hobbes! Help!"

Hobbes just stood back and watched, Chamberlain and his brother exchanged a look of surprise and Nurf went to pull her friends apart. "We're not here to rough house!"

Rolling away from Star, Dana curled up like an armadillo while Star stood up and looked at her with a slight smile on her face. "That's just a warning there Dana."

Still curled up, Dana nodded. "Yes, mon General…"

Star raised an eyebrow at the fact that Dana hadn't stood up yet and reached down, helping her back to her feet. Nurf glanced around at all of them. "Love these awkward silences eh?"

"I always throw cannonballs at the awkward silences," Star said with a shake of her head, "With Dana."

"Cannonballs?" Calvin perked up. "Where can I find one of those?"

Star looked at him. "I'm not letting you near any cannonballs Calvin."

"Good choice," Hobbes said, nodding.

"Aw, man…" Calvin replied.

Nurf smirked. "That's all we need… Calvin with a cannonball."

Dana snorted with laughter as Star glanced from Dana, to Nurf, to Calvin, and finally to Hobbes. "No one's stopping me!" She moved to hug Chamberlain again.

It was at this time that Buster Kilrain walked up and studied the scene before him. "Ak, lass, ye might want to let the colonel up now. He has his duties, here, ye know."

"Buster!" Dana's face lit up in excitement.

With a gasp of surprise, Star let go of Chamberlain to leap onto Buster.

"No!" Dana leaped on Buster right after her.

While Tom smirked, Nurf put her face into her palm. "I'm so embarrassed right now…"

Both Dana and Star hugged Buster as Chamberlain looked over at Tom. "They haven't jumped on you yet…"

"That's ok…" Tom took a step backwards.

With a raised eyebrow, Buster glanced at Chamberlain. "Colonel darlin', would ye mind explain' what exactly's goin' on here?"

"I don't know…" Chamberlain said, staring at them as Dana tried to pry Star away. "No! My Buster!"

"No!" Star protested, clinging to the Irishman even tighter, "I want Buster too!"

Smiling at Buster, Nurf said, "Well… how to explain…"

"Just start at the beginnin', if ye feel like it," Buster said, looking at her.

"That's a long story sir…" Nurf told him, "To put it plain… they are fans of yours… very big fans…"

"Actually." Star glanced back at Chamberlain. "I love Buster, but I love, love, love, love Lawrence and Lo!"

Buster frowned slightly. "Fans, ye say? Don't rightly know why that is…"

"Because you are awesome! And you're friend with Lawrence! And you fought on Little Round Top!"

Dana gazed adoringly at Buster. "Because you're you!"

Turning towards Nurf, Tom looked at her for a moment. "They alright?"

"Yeah…" She replied.

"I'll let you have Buster all to yourself now Dana." Star stood up and went to stand beside Nurf, still staring from Buster to Chamberlain in happiness. She looked at Tom for a moment then too. "I don't think we introduced ourselves properly. I'm Star, and my friends are Nurf and Dana."

She pointed to each of them in turn as Dana finished. "And these two are Calvin and Hobbes."

"You seem to know our names already…" Tom said curiously.

"Yes, I do indeed Tom, I do indeed," Star said, "We've heard about you all before."

Dana nodded in agreement. "Yep and you probably wouldn't believe or understand half of it."


	5. Part One: Chapter Five

**_Time Travel_**

**Part One: Chapter Five**

They sat around the campfire, under a tent that had been set up against the rain. It had been hard to find wood, but the Confederate Soldiers they had returned to were used to dealing with the elements and had managed to start the fire. Afterwards, they sat on the other side, separate by the flickering flames from those on the other side.

Hobbes was close to the campfire, eating a fish he had just caught, while Calvin laid on his back beside him. Sitting on a log, Dana whittled a small twig as Star sat beside her, staring across to Armistead on the other side of the fire. "Isn't it wonderful here?"

Rolling over, Calvin looked over at Star. "Wonderful? I've had more fun on Dad's camping trips! We don't have anything to eat besides rocks that are supposed to be bread, we're out in the cold rain half the time and I don't have my comic books!"

"Calvin, be nice," Dana said, looking up from her twig.

"And you don't have any appreciation for history," Star said to Calvin without even turning her head to look at him.

"Star, be nice," Dana told her.

Pointing at Calvin before going back to staring at Armistead, she said, "He's the one complaining."

Next to the two friends, Nurf was sitting with her hands in her head, not even looking at them. "They think we're crazy, they have to think we're crazy…"

Hobbes waved a hand in front of Star's face as she stared at Armistead to which Dana replied with the same thing she'd been telling everyone else. "Hobbes, be nice."

"I could say something that would really make him think I'm crazy, either that or just shock all of them beyond imagination," Star said without taking her eyes from Armistead.

Dana's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, no…"

Star smirked at that. "Something the matter Dana?"

"Here we go…" Nurf remarked, raising an eyebrow.

When Dana spoke again, she spoke calmly but sarcastically. "Oh, no, nothing at all, General, what would give you that idea?"

Resting her head on one hand, Star continued staring across the flames. "I mean, look at everything that we know. There's some things I'd never mention, and it might actually be better never to think about it, but it's tempting to at the same time."

"Go on…" Dana said.

"Although I really don't want to freak any of them out either," Star stated, still staring.

Nurf didn't say anything, was instead watching them nervously as Hobbes glanced around, not really sure what was going on. Star looked over at him. "You don't think I'm crazy do you?"

Surprised by the attention she gave him and tore away from Armistead, Hobbes raised an eyebrow. "Who, me? Um, not exactly… I mean well, look at Calvin!"

"What?" Calvin looked up. "Whaddaya mean by that, stripeypants?"

"I see," Star said, "But you have to admit, we've done some good here. We saved Lo!"

"That's true, yet," Dana agreed.

"Maybe he wouldn't really be surprised," Star continued, "After all, they must have figured out by now that I admire them? They've got themselves a couple of fangirls."

"Of course," Dana said at the same time Nurf said, with her head in her hands. "I'm sure he's figured some of that out…"

She glanced at Nurf and Dana, a slightly teasing tone in her voice. "You think he figured it out? How would he have realized that?"

Glaring at them, Calvin said. "Enough with the lovey-dovey stuff already! I wanna go home!"

At that last part, Star turned her attention more to him, perfectly happy with where she was for the time being. "Who said anything about ever going home?"

"I have Colonel to take care of," Nurf pointed out, "I need to go home eventually."

Star shook her head. "Why would we want to go back? We're right here in the mists of our deepest passion!"

"Though the local food is alright," Hobbes said, also missing the place they'd come from, "I'd prefer salmon."

"Well, yes, but…" Dana said.

Star was staring at Armistead said. "I don't want to go home. I want to stay here…"

Dana glanced over at Nurf and silently mouthed 'help'. Nurf shrugged, looking over at Dana before looking back at Star. "I have to go home eventually. Isn't there anything you're going to miss… at all?"

For a moment Star was quiet, thinking. "I don't know. If you two go back I'd miss you. I'd miss the RP and a few of my other friends but I'd be with people I've dreamed about forever. In the end… I think that will make up for it."

As everyone in the group stared at her, Calvin asked innocently, "What's going on?" Dana just put her face in her hands.

"You'd… you'd stay without us?" Nurf asked, surprised.

Star grinned then. "No, I'd hide the time machine."

"Hey!" Calvin leaped up and jumped on Star. "That's my machine and if you hide it I'll search to the ends of the earth until I find it again! It cost me good money to invent!"

"It's a cardboard box…" Dana said, raising an eyebrow.

"So what?" Calvin said, "It's still mine!"

Shoving Calvin off of her, Star stood up. "Make another cardboard box and go back to your soft lifestyle then! And study history! One would think you'd appreciate these men after living like them for a few days!"

Calvin crossed his arms over his chest. "I never paid attention to this in school! I don't care about Plymouth Rock!"

"This isn't Plymouth Rock," Star corrected, "This is the Civil War!"

"So? I don't see any Marvel Heroes around," Calvin said.

"Wrong Civil War, Calvin," Hobbes said but Calvin gave him a death glare and he stepped back.

It was then that Nurf had an idea. "They should do a comic of The Civil War…"

Glaring at Calvin for a moment before looking back towards Dana and Nurf, Star remarked. "You know, maybe I should just test my idea, see if it could even work."

"What idea be this, then, mon General?" Dana asked.

Nurf snapped out of her comic idea. "What now?"

"I want to test my idea," Star said, casting a glance at Armistead on the other side of the campfire with Pickett.

Dana shook her head. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no, no."

"She's looking at them…" Nurf said.

"It's not that hard," Star continued, "Really, I'll try not to shock them too much."

Quickly Dana moved to blocked Star's path although she stepped around her, as Dana moved to block her path again. For a moment Star stood there, but then she dived under Dana's legs, scrambling to her feet and marching purposely over the Armistead and Pickett. "General Armistead sir!"

"Oh no…" Nurf said watching her.

"Oh no is right," Dana said with a nod, covering her eyes but peeking through her fingers."

Star looked up at Armistead. "Sir, I'm not trying to shock you by knowing things you might not expect me to know, but you could you tell us some about the point? There isn't much information on it that I know for sure, and I'm interested, especially in the part about the plate."

Armistead stared at her in surprise. While she had been a strange girl, all of them had been, this request and the fact that she knew about the plate incident at West Point, when he had cracked a plate over Jubal Early's head, had not been at all expected.

"How do you know about that?" He asked.

"It's complicated," Nurf said.

Without thinking about what she was saying, Star responded to Nurf's comment. "It is, it is indeed!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Pickett looked over at her in surprise and Star looked back at him, realizing what she just said and burying her face in her hands. "Oh…"

"Okay…" Dana said, "This is getting complex… I mean, it was complex before this, but now-!"

Raising an eyebrow, Armistead looked at Pickett. "You been talking to her much?"

"It's like… complexlex," Nurf replied, "Double complex."

Dana grinned slightly and nodded. "That it is!"

"Will someone please explain why she's talking like George?" Armistead pointed at Star.

Star ducked behind the log, trying not to draw attention to herself and Dana raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's a really long story. Even longer now that we've ended up here."

"Long story short." Star peeked out from behind the log. "I'm an idiot."

"I'm not sure about that." Dana shrugged.

Star just dropped her head down to the log, not having anything else to say.

"It really isn't something that can be explained quickly…" Nurf said to the generals, "We just… talk… like some of you…"

"Why?" Armistead asked curiously.

"Because they've traveled back in time from the future sir!" Hobbes answered.

Dana turned to look at him. "Hobbes!" And at that moment, Star leaped up, pinned Hobbes to the ground and glared at him. "Tell them you're joking or I'm going to straggle you."

"Star!" Nurf jumped in surprise. "That really won't help!"

Calvin leaped onto Star's back. "Leave Hobbes alone! It's my machine anyway!"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dana asked. "We know it's your machine!"

"But they." Star gestured towards Armistead and Pickett. "Don't need to know how we got here, why, or anything like that. Now tell them you're joking stripy!"

Hobbes just bared his teeth and claws and Dana got quickly out of the way. Star just gritted her teeth. "I mean it."

"It's a tiger…" Nurf said, "Do you really think everyone will believe everything he says?"

"Good point," Star said, letting go of Hobbes and turning to Pickett. "If you'll just excuse what he said sir, he's not in his right mind."

Hobbes looked at Nurf. "It has a name, thank you…"

Pickett nodded to Star's statement. "Of course… I understand quite well…"

"Good," Star said looking pointedly at Armistead, "Now, back to the main discussion."

Dana sighed. "Hobbes. Now."

"Now?"

"Yes!"

"Okay." Hobbes agreed and pounced on Star.

Star yelped. "Get off of me!"

Hobbes just picked Star up and began dragging her back to the time machine. "I'm only following Dana's orders!"

As she was dragged past, Star grabbed Armistead's leg. "NO!"

Dana waved to Nurf. "Come on! Hurry!"

Clinging to Armistead's legs so that he was also dragged along, she protested. "I'm not leaving!"

"I didn't know we were leaving now!" Nurf turned and saw her friend. "Star you have to let go."

Star shook her head. "Nope."

Running along behind them, Calvin shouted. "Wait for me!"

"We aren't leaving!" Star said, "I thought I was the General!"

"I mutinied temporarily!" Dana replied, "Do with me what you will later!"

Nurf tugged on Star's arms. "You've been outnumbered my dear commander… let's go!"

Burying her head in Armistead's legs as she continued to cling to him, Star let out a small whimper but Hobbes just pulled her along calmly. "This happens all the time…"

"We'll come back, I promise!" Nurf said, "Just come back with us now, please?"

"If Lo comes with us…" Star mumbled.

"He can't!" Hobbes told her, "It's a simple law of time travel."

"Who made that law?" Dana asked.

Star continued to cling to Armistead but she looked up slightly. "But we were able to come here. He should be able to come to our time. And it's a pointless law. Can't we break that law somehow?"

"Can you break the law of gravity?" Calvin asked her, giving a pointed look.

"He's right Star," Dana said.

She just continued to cling to Armistead but Hobbes dropped her then, pried her limbs off one by one, picked her up again and kept walking. Star didn't even try to protest anymore, just curled in a ball and didn't say anything.

Glancing back at Armistead, Dana said, "General, it's been a pleasure. But we must take our leave now. Good luck to you in future."

Armistead saluted. "Yes, it has been a pleasure." He thought for moment, then pulled out a piece of paper and signed it, placing it in Dana's hand. "Give this to your leader later, and tell her I'm sorry."

"I shall, sir. Thank you." Dana said, returning the salute, taking the paper and turning to Hobbes, Calvin and Nurf. "Shall we continue, then?"

Nurf sighed and nodded in farewell to the Generals before turning to Dana. "I believe we shall."

Calvin grinned and dragged the time machine out from under a bush, knocked leaves out of the bottom and climbed in. "Come on! Back to the future!"

Hobbes rolled his eyes slightly and climbed in with Star. Nurf looked at him. "Sorry about the 'it' thing, I wasn't really remembering names at that moment."

"It's okay." Hobbes nodded and shrugged. "I get that all the time at home."

Calvin started up the machine and as Armistead watched it, it slowly slipped into the vortex. When it disappeared, he turned to Pickett and smirked. "Now that certainly was an interesting group."

Pickett replied with a line anyone who saw Gettysburg knew so well. "It was! It was indeed!"


	6. Part One: Chapter Six

**_Time Travel_**

**Part One: Chapter Six**

Star sat on a hotel bed, her knees drawn tightly to her chest, clutching Armistead's signature in one hand as the beginning of Pickett's Charge from the movie Gettysburg, began to play out across the screen of the TV in front of her. They hadn't left the battlefield, but it was there last night there and somehow she wasn't really sure what she thought of everything.

Beside her, Dana grinned at Star, then Nurf before turning her full attention back to the screen, and Nurf handed out a few snacks from the vending machine. "Next time we're staying with the 20th longer…"

Dana nodded and nibbled at some chocolate before glancing over at Star who had decided to completely ignore the food. "You okay, General? If this is about the mutiny…"

Nurf flopped on the bed, sending books flying everywhere as she stared at the ceiling. "Star…"

"Don't talk about it." Star shook her head.

While Dana stopped talking, Nurf gestured to the TV screen. "Not talking doesn't solve anything… we all know that."

"You're right." Dana nodded gravely.

"At least I've got the memories," Star said, staring sadly as the charge began on the TV, "If only I had my camera…"

"Do you not understand a time machine?" Nurf asked.

"I'm not sure I do, actually…" Dana replied, "I don't think I ever will. Better leave that to Calvin and Hobbes, I guess."

Star smirked ever so slightly. "Do you think they will ever forget us?"

"How could they?" Dana asked as the same time Nurf said, "I doubt it."

Once again, Star lapsed into silence as she watched the charge unfold. Dana bit her lip as they watched. They'd all seen the movie more times then they could count, enjoyed quoting all the lines, and knew exactly what was happening when just by listening to it.

Nurf, however, was still staring at the ceiling. "Traumatized I believe is the word…"

A small smirk crossed Dana's face. "Probably…"

Star glanced at Nurf. "Why?"

"Think." Nurf waved a hand vaguely. "In the middle of an important battle, three teenage girls show up out of nowhere… in uniforms… and talk to anyone, on either side."

"It's a wonder they didn't haul us off to an asylum actually…" Dana said.

Staring dreamingly at the signature in her hand, Star was silent for a moment before she spoke. "Maybe they liked us in the end, even though they never would admit it."

Dana grinned. "You haven't changed much, General. I believe that's a good thing."

"What would ever make me want to change?" Star grinned back at her.

Nurf still hadn't moved from where she was staring at the ceiling. "You did want to keep us all in the 1860's… that to me is a change."

"Well…" Dana nodded wryly, "What else can we expect?"

Star rolled her eyes and turned back to the TV as the soldiers neared the fence, and then continued towards the stone wall. But one thing had changed, Lo Armistead, who should have been leading the way, had disappeared. "HEY!" Star protested and leaped off the bed, staring wide-eyed at the screen.

"What?" Dana asked. "What is it?"

"The movie's broken!" Star pointed to the TV where the soldiers still continued towards the wall without Lo leading them.

Dana stared at it too. "That's not… It's... It can't be."

Quickly sitting up Nurf asked, "What?"

"Lo's not there!" Star told her, "He disappeared!"

"You don't suppose…" Dana started to work on connecting the dots in her head.

Star shook her head and grabbed another copy of the movie. "That's impossible." She put it in and clicked right to the same scene, where yet again Lo disappeared.

"What's happening?" Dana asked.

"I don't know," Star answered. "But somehow I don't like it. Is there a computer here somewhere?"

She grabbed at a laptop without waiting for an answer, turned it on and clicked into the internet, reading what she could find. "He… he… Look at this!" She said, pointing to the screen which read: General Lewis A. Armistead. 1817-1901.

"He- we- that's," Dana said, not really knowing what to say.

"Oh…" Nurf remarked simply.

"That's impossible!" Star said.

Dana shook her head. "Improbable."

"It goes back to the time travel question, obviously." Nurf looked at Star. "You saved 'im."

Leaning over towards her friend, Dana huggled Star and she returned the favor, shaking her head slightly. "I can't believe it… We changed history!"

"We really did!" Dana said.

To which Star replied, "We did indeed."


	7. Part Two: Chapter One

**_Time Travel_**

**Part Two: Chapter 1**

A water gun flew through the air, rapidly followed by an uninflected balloon, bubble gum cards, toy dinosaurs, action figures, a handful of comic books and a rock of two. Objects of little to no value were flung everywhere, and still Calvin remained in his room, trashing the room in some sort of frenzy. "Where is it?" He shouted.

Standing calmly to one side, and drinking a glass of lemonade, Hobbes watched him. "Where's what?" He dodged a Captain Napalm table lamp that came hurling towards him next.

Calvin's eyes bugged out and he pointed furiously to the time machine in the corner. "The instructions for this thing! It's got a glitch in the system and I need the manual to fix it!"

"Is that all?" Hobbes asked him, still fairly calm. For this he received an angry glare as Calvin continued to tear his room apart.

* * *

In the middle of June, years after the Battle of Gettysburg and the end of the Civil War, General Lewis A. Armistead found himself standing on the porch of his close friend, George Pickett, with a box by his feet. He paused for a moment, just standing there before raising a hand and knocking.

The door opened with a flourish, and Pickett stood there, grinning at him. "Lo! How are you?"

"I'm doing well George," Armistead replied, "I've been busy testing something lately." He gestured towards the box by his feet.

Frowning curiously, Pickett didn't notice the gesture. "Testing you say? Upon what, may I ask?"

Again, Armistead pointed to the box. "Doesn't it look at all familiar to you?"

"As a matter of fact…" Pickett plucked at his beard for a moment while thinking. "It just may. Wasn't there a rather similar object at Gettysburg, with that group of strange young women?"

Armistead nodded, and Pickett raised an eyebrow. "Well, may I inquire how you came about this duplicated version of it then?"

"I made it." Armistead reached into his pocket and pulled out a manual. "They dropped this, I found it the day after they left."

Taking the manual from him, Pickett looked it over carefully. "Instructions for assembling a machine that will effectively bear a person or persons through separate realms of time and space to future of past lands (not without hazard, however). Caveat emptor." He looked at Armistead and again raised an eyebrow. "This paper is genuine then?"

"I believe so George," he replied, "It's how they got here of course. You remember how they all jumped as soon as the tiger gave them away. This is exactly what they made. And I managed to make another one."

"Why, Lo," Pickett said, "I never knew you had the blood of an inventor within you."

Armistead shrugged. "I didn't invent it, I followed the directions."

"Very well, I'll bite," Pickett remarked, smirking. "My guess is you wish to test its properties, then?"

"You know me too well George," Armistead told him.

"Everyone knows you Lo…" The voice sounded from the bottom of steps. "Is this a reunion of sorts?"

Armistead turned around and was greeted by the sight of his good friend Winfield Scott Hancock. "Win!" he said, "I didn't see you there! You're just in time."

"Perfect timing, Whinny Boy," Pickett said right after him, grinning.

"Just in time?" Hancock hesitated. "For what?"

"To take a trip." Armistead gestured to the box at his feet, the one that was also a time machine.

Hancock looked at the box. "Where is this trip?"

"You'll see," Armistead said, "Just get in."

"Get in?" Hancock was confused.

Armistead pointed to the time machine. "Get in the box."

Stepping towards the box, Hancock looked skeptical. "Lo… how do you expect to go anywhere…?"

"You'll see. All you have to do is get in." Armistead glanced towards Pickett. "That means you too."

Pickett grinned and climbed in. "I would not miss this for the world. I'll have you both know."

"Don't keep us waiting now Win," Armistead told his friend, climbing in after Pickett.

Hancock shook his head as he followed the two of them into the time machine. "Someday I may actually understand you two… but it isn't today…"

Grinning, Armistead tossed a pair of goggles at each of them. "It says in the book we have to wear these."

As Pickett raised an eyebrow at him, Armistead just shrugged. "I'm only following instructions."

"Alright…" Hancock stared at the goggles then looked up at Pickett.

"Just put them on." Armistead fumbled with the time machine to try and get it started.

Pickett smirked. "If we must, then I suppose it's only proper.

He put the goggles on as Armistead got the time machine to take off and then Pickett grinned. "My God, Lo! Ain't it marvelous?"

"This time I can agree with you." He nodded.

"You still haven't told me where we're going!" Hancock reminded them.

"You'll find out when we get there," Armistead replied.

Pickett nodded and winked at him. "You'll see."

In a slight shock, Hancock said, "I'm surprised I'm still living, with you two as my friends."

And then, as Armistead shrugged, the time machine entered the vortex.


	8. Part Two: Chapter Two

**_Time Travel_**

**Part Two: Chapter Two**

She knelt down in front of the car's side view mirror, dressed in the Confederate gray, using the mirror to carefully adjust the kepi sitting neatly on her head. Then she stood up and turned around towards her friend also wearing the Confederate uniform. "How do I look?" She asked, "Like a leader?"

Standing at attention her friend saluted. "Yes, mon General! Every bit!"

"Good." Star returned the salute. "Then we shouldn't we wasting any time, should we? We've got places to be and people to meet!"

Dana nodded in agreement. "Indeed we do."

Grinning, Star checked to make sure the car was locked. It had been two years since they had changed history and taking the machine back in time at the very location that they stood at then, Gettysburg National Military Park. It was a place they all treasured, as it was as close as they thought they'd ever get to being back in the place they knew so much about ever again. But they all carried the memories with them.

Nurf had gotten a job at the park, and they knew they'd see her around as well, it was their plan to hopefully meet up with her later, possibly even find her while she was working on the battlefield.

Star glanced up at the Virginia monument they had parked near before turning towards the field. "Let's go."

Grinning as they set off, Dana began to hum Jine the Cavalry, Star walking purposely across the field beside her, smiling slightly as they went. "I still always picture it the way it was back then, don't you Dana? It's a sight you can never forget."

Dana nodded in agreement. "I know exactly what you mean, mon General! It's amazing!"

Neither of them could go to the field anymore without picturing how it had looked that day when they had gone back in time to 1863 and actually changed history. It seemed that no one but them was aware of it. Instead, no one but them seemed to think anything of the fact that Lo Armistead had survived the war, and the marker that had once been where Armistead fell wasn't there anymore, although Star could still picture it, and remember posing for pictures beside it. Only, she couldn't even find those pictures anymore.

They arrived at the High Water Mark and Dana took off her hat as Star paused just over the stone wall. "You close your eyes and then you see it, so clearly, as if we were there again," Star said softly.

Just then, there was a yell and something crashed into Star, bowling her over. Calvin sat on top of her, glaring fiercely. "Where is it?" he yelled.

Dropping her kepi as she was bowled over, Star's eyes widened. "Where is what?"

Calvin shook star. "You know what I'm talking about! Where's the manual?"

Stepping over and dragging Calvin off of her, Hobbes said, "Calvin, maybe we should back up and explain before jumping to conclusions."

"Yeah, an explanation would be rather nice." Dana reached down and helped Star up.

"Thanks Dana." Star looked at Calvin and Hobbes. "Please, so explain."

Growling furiously under his breath, Calvin's face turned red as Hobbes calmly held him back. "We've discovered the time machine's manual is missing."

"Oh." Dana nodded and paused. "And that's all?"

Hobbes nodded as Star spoke. "I see… So that's why Calvin's all worked up. I don't have it and I don't know where it is, but perhaps we can help you find it. Where did you last see it?"

"I don't remember," Calvin said, "But the last time we used the time machine- which was when you hijacked it!- it was in the bottom storage compartment.

Dana blinked. "Storage? It's a box."

"Don't ask." Hobbes shrugged. "I don't."

"Okay." Dana nodded.

"Well, if you had it the last time you used it," Star said, "I suppose the best course of action is to look around the place you used it at. I take it that's why you're here?"

Hobbes nodded. "I don't think it's that big a deal really."

He shrugged until Calvin steps on his tail and he let out a small howl of protest.

Raising one eyebrow, Star looked at them. "Well… ok… Shall we look for it? That's all we can do after all."

Dana looked at Calvin and Hobbes who had started fighting with each other and shrugged. "I guess we can look. Calvin and Hobbes seem to be working on the problem quite nicely."

"Indeed." Star nodded. "Nothing's changed has it?"

"Nothing at all, apparently." Dana shook her head wryly.

"So… We know what the problem is." Star looked around. "I don't see how the manual can still be just on the ground after all this time, even if it was dropped here to begin with.

Dana nodded in agreement. "If it was dropped when we were at the battle, it'll more than likely be gone. It's been over a century since then." She paused. "I mean, a century since the battle. It's only been… How long was it since we traveled there?"

She held her head. "Ow, my brain…"

"Don't try figuring out the logistics," Hobbes said, "It only makes it worse."

Star thought for a moment. "It's been… Three years maybe? No wait… two years! It was two years ago!"

"That's still long odds for a book in the elements," Dana said, "It's probably nothing but pulp now."

Calvin's eyes widened. "Pulp? Noooooo! I worked for weeks on that!"

Hobbes shrugged. "At least you didn't have to write War and Peace. That took Tolstoy years to write, I hear.

"Yeah," Star said, "I don't think you're going to have much luck finding it Calvin…"

Just at that moment, a time machine exited the vertex right in front of them, carrying Armistead, Pickett and Hancock. All at once, Dana, Calvin, Hobbes and Star's eyes all grew wide in surprise. "How'd your time machine get here Calvin?" Star asked.

"That's not mine!" Calvin said, "Mine's there!" He pointed to his time machine nearby. Hobbes looked from one to another. "You didn't duplicate them, did you, Calvin?"

"No!" Calvin said as they all stared.

Inside the time machine, Pickett grinned. "We made it, Lo!"

"I told you it would work," Armistead remarked.

"We're..." Hancock looked at the other two, "You planned to come here?" He stressed the last word.

Armistead nodded and smiled at his friend. "Yes, we planned to come here. This is a time machine."

"But here?" He looked at his friend with a raised brow.

"It's the future," Armistead explained, "This is what the battlefield looks like, nearly a century and a half later."

Hancock took a moment to survey the ground, it was cluttered with monuments and plaques. He stopped when he noticed what was known to those in the 21st century as the Pennsylvania monument. "Well...this is certainly interesting..."

Nodding again, Armistead smiled faintly. "That's why we came here."

"Look!" Star had been watching the exchange. "Lo's in there! He's alive!"

"So he is." Dana grabbed Star to prevent her from glomping him.

Armistead looked over at them and blinked. "George… is it just me or do those people look familiar?"

"I do believe you're correct Lo!" Pickett climbed out of the time machine, Armistead following him as he walked towards Dana, Calvin, Hobbes and Star. All of them but Calvin quickly saluted.

"It's not just you," Hancock followed. "I believe we had seen them in this very area once before?"

"General Pickett," Star said, giving a small nod in greeting.

Calvin walked forward them, glaring at Pickett and Armistead. "Awright! Fess up! How'd you get hold of my time machine!"

Dana and Hobbes stared at him. "Calvin!"

"That's no way to talk to these people Calvin," Star said, stepping forward and looking at both generals. "Let me put it a bit nicer. How'd you get here?"

Pickett bowed and then indicated Armistead. "Why, that answer is simple put, miss, thanks to the ever-brilliant mind of Lothario here."

Dana grinned. "Brilliant, huh?"

"Fiery intellect, if you will..." Hancock smirked, remembering the phrase his friend often used.

"Well… I wouldn't say it's brilliant," Armistead said, "I just followed instructions on how to make it."

Star blinked. "Instructions…? You don't mean…?"

All at once, the puzzle pieces started to click together in all of their heads. "You stole my manual!" Calvin shouted, "Give it back!"

Hobbes held Calvin back from charging at Armistead as the Confederate General raised an eyebrow. "Your manual?" He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, holding it up. "You mean this?"

"Yes!" Calvin made a wild grab for it but Hobbes stepped between them.

"Let's try to solve this without any more fuss, shall we?" He suggested.

Dana nodded. "I agree. Calm down, Calvin."

Nodding in agreement, Star said, "There's no need for us all to attack each other over it. At least you know where the manual is now Calvin."

"I found this booklet on the ground," Armistead explained, "After you all left. You left it there."

"Oh good," Dana said, "That's one problem solved. I assume you followed the manual to make that duplicate machine there."

She nodded towards the second time marching as Calvin protested. "That's copyright infringement!"

"Calvin, hush!" Hobbes told him.

Armistead nodded. "For a while I just kept the manual, but then after the war I started to think about it more and how you'd all gotten into our time. So I decided to give it a try."

Star grinned as Dana nodded again. "Wow that's something. You should have been in the Engineers' Corps, Lo."

"Indeed!" Star nodded.

"I wasn't trained for that…" Armistead explained.

Dana shrugged. "Well, you seem to have done alright here. "

"Anybody can follow instructions," Calvin said, "I invented it, though."

Sighing, Dana rolled her eyes. "That's been made clear several times, Calvin. We understand you invented it."

Armistead held out the manual to Calvin. "Well, since this appears to belong to you then, would you like it back?"

"You bet I would!" Calvin said, taking the manual and tucking it underneath his arm. "Thanks!"

Hobbes shrugged. "Well, that's one problem solved. Shall we try to repair the machine now?"

Calvin nodded. "Come on, Hobbes. Take the tool kit. I'll open the hood."

As they started to walk back to the machine, Dana raised an eyebrow. "Toolkit…? Hood…? Never mind, I won't ask."

Star watched them go. "I don't think we really want to know." She looked back at Armistead and Pickett them. "I never thought I'd see either of you again!"

"Well, here we are!" Pickett grinned widely and bowed dramatically. "At your service!"

"Oh, General." Dana grinned as well.

Also grinning and trying to restrain herself at the same time, Star spoke. "Can I… would you be annoyed if I hugged both of you…?"

"You didn't seem to have a problem at Gettysburg, General," Dana said, "Glomp away by all means."

The grin spreading across Star's face, she glomped both Pickett and Armistead at the same time. Dana cracked up upon seeing it. "Nothing has changed at all, has it?"

Armistead raised an eyebrow. "No, it doesn't appear that it has."

"I'm so glad you decided to come to our time period!" Star said, huggling both of them.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world, as I said earlier," Pickett said.

There was a wry look on Dana's face as she looked around. "Apparently so. Good thing there's no one staring at us…"

Star let go of Pickett and Armistead then and stood up. "You don't suppose anyone will recognize them…"

"I'm not sure about that actually," Dana said.

"Because if someone recognizes them," Star said, glancing around, "I wouldn't know where to start explaining."

Dana nodded in agreement. "Let's hope no one recognizes them," Star said, turning her attention to Pickett and Armistead. "What do you think, could you pass for someone of our time?"

"I do hope so," Pickett replied, "However, there are many things I am not familiar with. Such as those metal creations there." He pointed towards the parked cars on the side of the road. "What is their use, may I ask?"

"Oh, those are cars," she explained, "They are like electronical horse that we use to get around."

"Electronical?" Pickett asked.

"Electricity," Dana said, nodding. "It's been adapted quite a bit since the 1860s. Most everything we use is based off of it in some way or another."

Star also nodded. "She's right. There's electricity in every building, computers where you can talk to people without being face to face, TVs where you can watch plays without having to have people performing them and CD players and the like that can play music. And there there's cars that we use to get around, and even airplanes that can take people into the sky and fly."

Pickett blinked as Dana put a hand on Star's arm. "That'll take some explaining, too. Computers, TVs, CD players and airplanes are all technologies of this time."

"Yup." Star nodded again. "They were all invented since the 1800s. We'll have to show you how some of them work. Would you like me to show both of you what it's like to ride in a car?"

"I don't see why not." Pickett grinned at Armistead. "Shall we?"

Armistead nodded as Dana also grinned. "I suppose we'll have to get used to it."

Grinning just like everyone else, Star started towards her car. "Come on then, let's go." She unlocked it and opened the door to the driver's seat, pointing at the handles. "Pull those to get the doors open."

Pickett pulled the handle. "This is sort of a miniaturized locomotive, then?"

Dana nodded. "Except it's not run by coal. And it's smaller."

"Everyone in," Star instructed, slipping into the drivers seat as Armistead pulled on the handle, opening the door and climbing into the passengers seat. "Dana… do you mind showing them how to buckle their seat belts…?"

"Sure, General." Dana turned towards Pickett and Armistead. "The belts help keep you safe if there's an accident." She buckled her own seat belt. "Like this."

Armistead looked at his seat belt and tried to buckle it although he couldn't get it. In the back, Hancock, who had followed them to the car, fiddled with it for a moment before getting it buckled. Pickett, put the belt on backwards, leaving Dana trying to smother her giggles. "No, like this." She fixed Pickett's belt. "See?"

"Oh, yes," Pickett said, "That makes sense. Though it seems to be a might restricting piece of equipment, if you ask me."

Dana shrugged. "Well, it's the law now, so…"

"How do you do it…?" Armistead was still fiddling with his seat belt.

"Like this." Dana leaned forward into the front seat to help him with the belt and got it buckled. "There you go, General."

"Thank you," Armistead said.

Star twisted around to look into the back of the car. "Everyone buckled?"

Dana nodded. "Let's roll, General."

Turning back to the front of the car, Star started it and backed out of their parking space. Pickett's eyes were wide, and Dana grinned at Star. They were starting their first lesson on their time period.


	9. Part Two: Chapter Three

**_Time Travel_**

**Part Two: Chapter Three**

From the window of the car, Little Round Top could be seen clearing and although she was driving, Star slowed down and looked at it out of the corner of her eyes. Little Round Top was one of her favorite places on the battlefield, along with the High Water Mark. "I'm sure you recognize this piece of ground?" She said, speaking to the others that were in the car with her.

"I am not entirely certain, I'm afraid," Pickett replied from the back, shaking his head as he looked out of the window at the ground.

"This is Little Round Top," Star explained, "You weren't on the field yet when this part of the battle occurred."

Dana nodded. "This is where Hood's Texan boys were. And the Alabamans and Georgians." She paused. "Maybe I had a relative fighting here once…" Some of her family lived in Georgia.

Also staring out the window, Hancock then spoke, realizing where they were on the battlefield. "This is where Sickles was originally placed correct? He had this flank…"

Once again, Dana nodded. "The very same ground."

"Yes," Star said, "Sickles was placed here at first, but then he moved forward, so other troops had to be brought up. Chamberlain, you meet him I believe General Hancock?"

Hancock was surprised at the statement. "I did, on the third… forgive me for asking, but how did you know?"

"Ummm…." Dana looked at her friend in the driver's seat. "Your turn, General."

"I study the Civil War, especially this battle," Star explained, "It's something I've been interested in for a few years, actually. I could tell you a lot that you might be surprised that I know."

Pickett raised an eyebrow. "Indeed?"

"Indeed." Dana nodded affirmatively.

"Go ahead," Star said, "Ask either one of us a question."

"When did I become a Corps commander?" Hancock asked.

"Ummm…" Dana drew a blank and looked at Star. "Your turn again."

Star thought for a moment. "Not long after Chancellorsville. I don't know the exact date, I'm afraid."

Pickett nodded. "What was the outcome of the Battle of Sharpsburg?"

"It was essentially a bloodbath," Dana replied, "Neither side really won."

"Who were the other brigade commanders with me during the charge from our division?" Armistead asked.

Once again, Dana replied. "Garnett and Kemper."

Star glanced back at them for a moment. "There's a lot more I could tell you. Like Win, I know that you have an identical brother named Hil. And I know about the plate incident at the Point."

"The plate incident?" Pickett grinned, and nudged Armistead in the front seat.

"The plate, eh?" Hancock said, smirking at his friend. "I wouldn't have expected you to know about the Point."

"Yup," Dana said, "The Point is a fascinating place, indeed!"

"I don't know as much about the Point," Star said, "But I do know a few facts.

Hancock smirked at Armistead then, another fact coming to mind. "Fireworks, Lo…."

"There no need to go into detail about that…" Armistead said.

Star hide her amusement of the fact as she kept her eyes fixed on the road in front of her. "Oh, don't worry. I know about the fireworks as well. If I recall correctly, someone blew a cannon up."

In the back, Dana cracked up as Pickett grinned sheepishly, so Star continued with a small nod. "Yup. It was you, I believe, General Hancock. Good memories the three of you have."

"Indeed, as do we." Dana half snorted, half giggled in the back.

"So…" Star glanced at Hancock, Pickett and Armistead for a moment. "Have we surprised you yet?"

"I believe…" Hancock looked at the others, "You did that some time ago…" Pickett's face was a study in astonishment. Dana almost burst out laughing again on seeing it.

Dana and Star both grinned. "Well," Star said, "I have looked up to the three of you for a long time. As I have also looked up to John Buford and Joshua Chamberlain. How are they? Do you know?"

"I've not spoken to either." Hancock shook his head. "But shouldn't you know that. Being from our future?"

Dana paused. "They've got you there, Star."

"I know they both survived the war," Star said, "I know the date of their deaths, yes, but I know everything."

"You know more than myself, then," Hancock told her, "I have not heard from either in some time."

Star shrugged. "I was just curious." She paused for a moment. "We're driving past the High Water Mark again. Do you want to visit to the town or the place where General Buford held the high ground?"

Pickett glanced at the field and pressed his lips together. Watching him for a moment, Dana could guess what he was thinking. It would stand to reason for all of their thoughts to go back to the charge and the painful memories that came with it. "Maybe we should skip the battlefield for now, Star…" She suggested.

"Alright," Star agreed, "Let's go into town."

Armistead looked out at the field as well and Dana looked over at him. "Remembering?"

"Yes." Armistead nodded as the car turned onto Hancock Avenue.

Hancock noticed the plaque there. "….Huh…."

Dana grinned upon seeing his reaction. "You're all famous here now!"

"Yup." Star nodded in agreement. "They've named a lot of streets after those who fought here."

She paused. "We're approaching the town now. I'm sure it's changed from the last time you've see it. There's a restaurant named after you, George."

Pickett's eyes widened in surprise. "There is?"

"Indeed." Dana pointed it out as they approached it.

"So there is," Armistead said, looking at it.

Hancock leaned forward as well. "Look at that… it's got a picture of him and everything…"

Star grinned, saying, "I have half a mind to stop there."

Also grinning, Dana clearly liked the idea. "Let's go!"

Pulling into the parking lot of Pickett's Buffet, Star turned off the engine and turned to look at those that were in the back. "Now… Let's hope no one recognizes all of you… Because that would be very hard to explain."

Dana nodded seriously. "Indeed."

Star looked from Hancock, to Pickett and then to Armistead. "If anyone asks, you're reenactors."

Pickett nodded as a kid walked by just then, voice drifting into the car. "Mommy, look, it's soldiers!"

Dana's eyes widened as Hancock looked confused. "Reenactors?"

"Yes," Dana said, "Exactly that."

"Reenactors are people who dress up like they are soldiers from the Civil War," Star explained.

"Like us, you mean?" Pickett pointed to himself.

Dana nodded. "Exactly."

Also nodding, Star opened the door to the car. "Alright, let's go."

Once again, Armistead was left to fiddle with his seat belt as he tried to figure out how to unbuckle it. Dana smothered her giggles once again, causing Armistead to raise an eyebrow. "Something funny?"

"Sorry," Dana said, "I shouldn't laugh."

Hancock was watching Armistead, having figured out the mysteries of the seat belt faster then his friend. "There's a button…"

But Dana had already reached over and helped Armistead to unbuckle to which he thanked her and looked at the seat belt. "I'm never going to figure that thing out."

They all got out of the car then and Star looked at them. "Well… let's go in. What are waiting for?"

Armistead shrugged and both Dana and George grinned as they crossed the parking lot and stepped inside the building.

The waiter's eyes widened upon seeing them, but Star paid no attention, instead turning to look at Hancock. "They've got mashed potatoes, Win! You like them mashed if I remember correctly."

Hancock raised a hesitant brow. "Where does that bit of knowledge come from...?"

"A book I found online," Dana said at the same time as Star said, "I read it in a book about you, Dana showed it to me."

Pickett looked confused at what she'd just said. "'Online'?"

"Technology from this era," Dana explained, "We use it a lot."

Star nodded. "We'll explain it later… not now…"

"Apparently this technology is used to find out how we prefer our food," Hancock said to Pickett as Star turned towards the waiter at last.

"Hello," The waiter said, "How may I help you?"

"We'd like a table for…" Dana paused and counted the heads. "5, please."

Armistead glanced at them. "And what do you know about how I like my food then…?"

Star shrugged and followed the waiter. As she looked around, it felt like a million pairs or eyes rested upon then and she paused. "Why do I feel like people are staring at us…?"

"That would be because they are…" Hancock replied.

The other customers continued to gawk at the group and Star glanced over at them as they reached the table. "There's nothing to be staring at! Eat your food!"

She then sat down at the table, Armistead, Pickett and Dana doing the same thing. And then, Dana happened to glance over at the table across from then, blinking in surprise. "Hey… Isn't that…"

Looking over towards the table when she heard Dana speak, Star smiled slightly. For there, sitting with her coworkers just across from them sat General Nurf, one of their other RPers, and close friends. "Yes!" She said, "General Nurf! Over here!"

Nurf looked up from the table where she was eating and her eyes locked on their table. "Oh my God…"

"Hi!" Dana said cheerfully.

Pickett stood up and went over to Nurf. "_Bonjour, madame_." He bowed over her hand. "A pleasure to see you once again, I must say."

"A pleasure to see you as well, sir," Nurf replied.

"He's more of a Lothario than Lo…" Dana remarked, watching them.

Star nodded. "Indeed. Which makes it strange that he started calling Lo that. He should have given himself a nickname. He gave them to everyone else."

Dana grinned. "True, true…"

"Greetings and salutations to all," Pickett said, looking at all of Nurf's coworkers who were staring at him with wide eyes. All of them happened to work at the visitors' center in the park.

"Oh my God…" Nurf started pushing Pickett back to the table, looking back at her coworkers as she did so. "We're working on some historical footage for those new videos I told you guys about!"

Still watching the whole scene, Dana tried not to crack up as Star placed a hand on her arm. "Let's sit down at our table again, shall we… and have something to eat…?"

"Good idea," Dana replied quickly.

Star noticed a quizzical look on Pickett's face and leaned towards him, whispering in his ear. "You're drawing attention to yourself."

"How so?" Pickett asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

"Is he serious?" Nurf asked.

"I believe so…" Armistead remarked.

Putting her hand to her face for a moment, Star couldn't believe the man had just said that. "Because…" She started to say, but then just gave up on trying to explain, "Oh, never mind… Just sit down please…"

Pickett sat back down and Star looked up at them again. "So…why don't we eat and then go back to the house…?"

"Go ahead," Nurf said, "I just finished."

She waved towards her coworkers who were still staring at them, but sat down anyway as Star glanced at the three Civil War generals. "There's a few things we have to teach them about. Without drawing any more attention to ourselves."

Then, without saying what she was doing, Star got up and brought a plate of mashing potatoes over to the table, setting it down in front of Hancock.

Hancock stared at the plate for a moment. "…..Thank you… You're not going to tell me how to eat them are you?"

Star shook her head. "Don't worry, I trust your ability to eat your own food."

Nurf smirked as Dana winked at Star. "_A lá_ Jubal?"

Star nodded. "I know you like them mashed. And I am most certainly not a Jubal." She paused. "What would you like, George and Lo? I think it'd be better if I got your plates so the whole restaurant isn't staring."

Nurf nodded. "That's a good idea," she agreed.

Pickett thought for a moment. "Oh, not much. Just some beef, potatoes and a biscuit will suffice."

"Alright," Star agreed, looking at Armistead.

"The same works for me as well," he stated and Star got up to get the plates. A little while later, she returned with two plates of food, which contained beef, potatoes, a biscuit for each, and some cornbread. "Here you go," she said, setting down the plates. She glanced at Hancock. "Would you like something to go with your potatoes?"

Hancock glanced at Armistead's plate. "If you wouldn't mind?"

Star went and got the plate, returning a little while later with beef, a biscuit and cornbread for Hancock, along with a plate for herself which she placed on the table. "There you go Win."

Dana went to go get her own plate and when she returned and sat back down, she went straight to business. "Now then: 21st Century 101."

"Excuse me?" Armistead asked, "But, what..?"

Hancock smirked at him, and at Pickett. "I thought we were finished with schooling."

Armistead nodded. "So did I…"

"You're never too old to learn anything," Dana stated.

Pickett made a wry face. "Booklearnin', hm?"

"What do they know so far?" Nurf asked.

"Well, if you want to pass for someone of this century," Star said, "You've got some learning to do. And for now, you're going to have to try and pass. I know you don't think booklearning is for gentlemen but we have to."

She then turned towards Nurf. "They know about cars… and that's about it…"

Dana nodded. "We've mentioned a few things in passing, but not much detail."

"Uh huh…" Nurf said, "This should be interesting then…"

"If I recall correctly," Pickett said, "You mentioned the power of flight was somehow become available?"

"Yes." Star nodded. "Airplanes."

"They're kind of like long metal birds." A sheepish look crossed Dana's face. "Or however you put it."

Armistead looked slightly confused. "But how do they fly?"

"Um…." Dana said, "I'm not even really sure."

"It's all math that deals with physics and air lift and altitude," Nurf explained, "It's… difficult."

"What about…" Armistead paused, collecting his thoughts. "This word you mentioned earlier… Online?"

Star grinned. "Oh, that's much easier to explain!"

"That is how the three of us." Dana gestured between herself, Star and Nurf, "Met."

"What is it?" Armistead asked.

"It's… a very long process." Nurf smirked. "First you have to know what a computer is."

There was so much to learn, and Armistead was silent for a moment, looking at her before asking the question that everyone there knew was surely coming. "And what's a computer?"

"Well, you obviously know electricity has made some advances since your time," Dana explained to him, "The computer is a result of those advances."

Once again, for a moment silence fell over the group as Armistead took in that new information. "What does it do?"

Nurf paused as she considered how to best explain it to him. "It's like a very advanced telegraph wire…"

"It's like all the books in the world combined!" Dana added.

As a confused look crossed both Pickett and Armistead's faces at the same time, Star could see that the explaining really wasn't going anywhere very quickly. And they still had a lot of ground to cover about their ways of life. "You know what…" She stated, "I've got a better idea!"

Dana blinked, turning her attention to look at her friend. "Yes, General?"

"Let's show them," Star suggested, "Instead of trying to explain it. How about we start by showing them our favorite movie?"

"Yeah! Let's do it!" Dana agreed, jumping at the idea right away before she paused, another thought coming into her mind a few seconds after she'd so quickly agreed. There were some parts of the movie, that she knew wouldn't be easy for their Civil War friends to see. "Wait."

"What?" Both Star and Nurf turned to look at her at the same time, the same word escaping them.

Dana took a deep breath. "Well, this is gonna bring back a lot of memories, most likely. For everyone."

She glanced at Pickett, Armistead and Win as the thought clicked in Star's mind. But she still wanted to show them the movie. "But it's something they can relate to," She said, "More then a lot of the movies out there. They will understand the story…

"Yes, but remember," Dana said, "They actually lived through that. And it was a terrible fight."

Once again she looked at Pickett. It was something they all knew, that the charge had been very hard on him, seeing as he'd lost nearly his entire division.

"It's the only one I can think of to show them…" Star said.

Dana nodded. "We'll just explain thoroughly beforehand, then."

Star also nodded. "Alright, let's go then."

Standing up, and nodding again, all the customers started to applaud them at once, causing Pickett to grin. "Well," Star remarked, "It seems they like our visit, doesn't it?"

"It would appear so…" Armistead replied.

"Indeed!" Dana said.

As they started to leave the table and move towards the door, the waiter stopped them, handing each one of them a coupon. "What's this for?" Star asked, staring at the one that had been handed to her.

"A free meal the next time you visit," The waiter said, "It's not every day we have such distinguished visitors."

"Indeed!" Dana said.

Nurf put her head into one of her hands. "I'm glad you stayed away from the visitor's center…"

"We'd probably be mobbed then," Dana said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, thank you," Star said, still speaking with the waiter, "It was a pleasure to eat here."

Star glanced at the group, getting tired of all the attention that their group was getting. "Well, let's go. It's time we got to the house so that we don't have everyone staring at us all the time."

"Good idea," Dana agreed.

"Yup." Star nodded and moved to the door, pushing it open. Her friends all followed her as they went back to the car. It was time to stop drawing attention to themselves.


End file.
